Bowling-alley amusement device.



H. LEIGHT-ON.

BOWLING ALLEY AMUSEMENT DEVICE. APPLICATION mum SBPT.15,1908.

939,280. Patented Nov. 9, 1909.

Zw'znsssfisx ZZZ/5272272 Q Harry Lggizzon UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY LEIGHTON, 0F GENEVA, OHIO, A$SIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO WALTER S. CLARK, 0F MIDDLEFIELD, OHIO.

BOWLING-ALLEY AMUSEMENT DEVICE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY LEIGHTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Geneva, in the county of Ashtabula and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bowling-Alley Amusement Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in bowling-alley amusement devices, the primary object of the invention being to provide a novel and improved form of amusement device of this class admirably adapted for use at public parks, fair grounds, and similar places where people are accustomed to gather for amusement and recreation.

lVith these ends in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1, is a perspective view of the improved amusement device in its operative position. Fig. 2, a longitudinal central sectional view of the rear end of the alley proper provided with a detachable operating-pin and means for sustaining the latter and the attached trapeze and its occupant. Fig. 3, a view of a portion of the ducking-tub for catching the trapeze occupant when released by the detachment of the operating-pin.

Similar characters of reference designate like parts throughout all the figures of the drawings.

The alley 1, proper, with its gutters 2, may be of the usual construction, and may be made up of suitable sections secured together in any suitable and convenient manner. For the purposes of this invention the alley is, preferably, of only about forty-five feet in length, the gutters 2, being utilized for the return of the balls 3.

The rear end 1 of the alley 1, is oval shaped, the oval or curved edges 4:, being adapted to deflect the returning ball into one or the other of the gutters 2, at the sides, on its return on an intermediate downwardly and forwardly inclined platform or pit portion 5, after striking the cushioned bumper 6, at the rear. A second platform 7, is formed at the rear of the cushioned Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 15, 1908.

Patented Nov. 9, 1909.

Serial No. 453,069.

bumper 6, and is provided with a tank or what may be termed a ducking tub 8, said tub being, preferably, three or four feet in depth and filled with water. In order to prevent the water, when agitated or stirred, as hereinafter described, from unduly slopping over the edges, as well as to reinforce the upper edges and provide a convenient form of rim for the purposes desired, the upper edges are, preferably, bent inwardly and downwardly forming a downwardly and inwardly inclined rim 9.

A structural iron frame-work is disposed above the rear or platform and ducking-tub portions of the alley, said frame-work comprising a front pair of iron standards 10, and a pair of rear standards 11, having their upper ends connected to and supporting front and rear cross bars 12, and 13, respectively. The upper ends of the front and rear standards are also connected by means of side bars 14, and the position of the frame work to the rear portions of the alley is such as to bring the cross-bars 12, and 13, immediately above the rear end 1, of the alley and the center of the ducking-tub 8, respectively.

The cross-bars 12 and 13, are each provided with a pair of pulleys A, carrying a pair of parallel rope members 15, adapted to travel in said pulleys. The front depending ends of the rope carry a cross-bar 16, and then converge into a single rope 17, which is fastened to a loop-eye 18, of a pin-bar passing lengthwise through an operating-pin 19, said operating-pin 19, being detachably connected at its base to the rear end 1 of the alley by means of a second or lower loop-eye 20, of said pin-bar, taking over a horizontal rearwardly-extending hook-bar 21, carried by a cross-plate 22. The cross-plate 22, is countersunk in the rear end P, of the alley, and flush with the surface thereof, and at the rear of the plate 22, a longitudinal reby the engagement of the loop-eye 20, of the operating-pin 19, with the horizontal hookbar 21.

The game consists in rolling balls down the alley toward the attached operating-pin with a View to striking the latter and thus detaching the loop-eye 20, from the hook-bar 21, thus releasing the support of the trapeze and occupant whereby the latter will be plunged into the water, contained in the ducking-tub, to the great amusement of the bowler and bystanders. hen the operating-pin is released, a clapper ball 26, on the cross bar 16, as the latter is elevated, is adapted to contact with and ring a bell 27, mounted above on the cross-bar 12. After the pin detaching and ducking operation described, the operatingpin 19, may be drawn down and attached as before, and the party riding the trapeze-bar may again mount the trapeze by means of a ladder (not shown) or other suitable means which may be provided for the purpose.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is,

1. In a bowling-alley amusement device, an alley provided at its rear end with a cross-plate fitted flush with the upper surface thereof and carrying a rearwardly-extending hook-bar, the alley having a recess surrounding said hook-bar, and an operating-pin provided with a loop eye taking over said hook-bar and resting in said recess.

2. In a bowling-alley amusement device, an alley provided at its rear end. with a rearwardly extending hook bar, a framework provided with pulleys carrying rope-members, a pendent operating-pin secured to one end of said rope members and adapted to be secured to said hook member, and a trapeze member formed at the other end of said rope members.

3. A bowlingalley amusement device, comprising an alley provided at its rear end with a hook member, a ducking-tub, a framework carrying rope members providing pendent operating-pin and trapeze members disposed above said hook member and ducking-tub, respectively, said operating-pin member being adapted to be engaged by said hook member and said trapeze member being adapted to carry an occupant normally sustained by the engagment of said operatingpin member with said hook member.

4. A bowling alley amusement device,

comprising an alley provided at its rear end a with a cross-plate carrying a rearwardly-extending hook-bar, a ducking-tub, and intermediate platforms and a bumper, a framework provided with front and rear crossbars disposed above said rear end and said ducking-tub, and rope members mounted on pulleys secured to said cross-bars and provided at their front with an operating-pin adapted to be engaged by said hook-bar and at their rear with a trapeze normally sustained by the engagement of said operatingpin with said hook-bar.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

HARRY LEIGHTON.

Witnesses EDITH RITCHIE, Errrn STErrE. 

